soverhill



(NoMpdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

G. W. SOVBRHILL.

FRUIT BVAPORATOR. I

No. 468,731. Patented Peb.. 9, 1892.

Z h'lllllllmlllllllllllllllll- (No Model.) Smets-'sheen 2.

C. W. ASOVERHILL. BRUIT EVAPORATOR. No. 468,731. Patented Feb. 9, 1892.

-posite to that shown in Fig. 2.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES lV. SOVERI-IILL, OF NEVARK, NEV YORK, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES l-l. PERKINS AND SILAS S. PIERSON, OF SAME PLACE.

FRUIT-EVAPORATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,731, dated February 9, 1892.

Serial No. 389206. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that l, CHARLES WV. SOVER- HILL, of Newark, in the county of Vayne and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fruit-Evaporators, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

My invention is a device for drying fruit by means of furnace or steam heat; and it consists in various improved parts and ldevices hereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of the device, sectioned in part upon the dotted line l l in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 isV a side elevation seen as indicated by arrow in Fig. 1, partly sectioned on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top view of the device with parts broken away. Fig. i is a transverse section taken on the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the device near the floor, drawn tol show a sys teni of steam-heating pipe. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the upper part of the device op- Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a part of the post and adjacent holding-sections, parts being longitudinally sectioned.V Fig. S is an edge view of a holding-section seen as indicated by the arrow in said Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the post and a holding-section, taken as on the dotted line 9 9 in Fig. 7.

The last three figures are drawn to 'scales larger than that of the other figures.

Referring to the parts shown, A is the inclosing case of the fruitdrying device, which is preferably rectangular in form and may be :made of Vany desirable dimensions of wood or other material.

B is a vertical post at the middle of the inclosure for supporting the fruit-trays, resting at its lower end upon the floor of the casing and held at its upper end by a cross-bar() near the top.

D is an ordinary furnace beneath the floor of the casing,or the heat for drying the fruit may be supplied by a system of steam-pipes E, (shown in Fig. 5,) the manner of heating the device not being essential to my invention.

bars d extend some distance below the arms j c and inclinedbraces f join them with the middle parts of the arm c toV support the latter, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 4.

, lI are sections, Figs. 7 and 8, for holding the rests Gr for the trays fitted to slide upon the post B. These sections are each preferably made of a length to carry four of the rests G, which latter are hooked onto pins e projecting from the sections. rlhe rests G are attachedto the sections in pairs, one above the other, the two rests of each pair extending in opposite directions from the post and on a level with each other. `When the rests are in place on the sections, the bar d of each is caused to bear against the vertical side of the section from the fact that each rest overhangs its connections or bearings egon the section, these bearings being above the center of gravity of the rest. The vertical parts of the sections are slightly thicker than the post and project slightlybeyond the latter at each side, on account of which while the bars d rest snugly against the sections they are at the same time free from the post.

The sections I are each composed of two parallel vertical blocks g, placed, respectively, at two opposite sides of the post, tied together by horizontal cross-ties 7i. The cross-ties are preferably made of thin strips of iron and rigidly secured to one block g by fasteners 7.a. The other block of the section is provided with rigid studs t', having thin heads to receive the hooked ties entering the recesses Z. The sections are joined to each other by means of links or connections n, preferably let into the block g. These links are secured rigidly to the upper ends of the blocks byfasteners o and ext-end above-the blocks sufficiently to pass over pins p, ri gid in the lower IOO v the holdingpin w.

ends of the blocks of the section next above, as Clearly shown in Fig. y7. A lifting-cord r for the sections, Figs. l, 3, and 6, is secured to the upper end of the irst section, passing thence over pulleys s s to the outside of the casing. This cord is preferably made in two `parts or branches within the building, one

being on either side of the cross-bar C, as shown, and joined by a tie-bar t outside the building. (Clearly shown in Fig. From and below this tie-bar the cord is single and provided with rings t, any one of which may be passed upon a pin or holder w, projecting from the side of the inclosure. The distance between every two adjacent rings is equal to the length of a section I. Now if any ring that may be held by the p'iu be drawn off the latter by takinghold of the cord and the cord pulled downward, so as to pass the next ring onto the pin, the section or sections within the inclosure will be raised sufficiently to allow another section to be added by joining it onto the lowest section within.

In practice, when the lowest ring is on the pin the first or upper section I is at the bottom of the inclosure and when the rests held by it are supplied with trays of fruit the lifting-cord is pulled downward to pass the next ring over the pin. Another section is now attached to the first one, and when supplied with fruit the cord is again pulled to pass the next ring over the pin. In this manner the lirst section is finally drawn to the top of the inclosure,a section being added and supplied with fruit each time anew ring is passed over Thus the inclosure is filled from bottom to top with trays of fruit over the heating pipes or furnace. The trays of fruit are placed upon the rests through an opening 0c, Figs. l and 2, at the front and bottom of the casing.

H is a fan just within the top of the inclosure over the post B. Directly over the fan isa circular opening@ in the topl of the casing, communicating with the open air or Witha flue a', as may be desired, to convey away the vapor arising from the drying fruit. The fan, is driven by means of a band Ct', Fig. 2, leading from a driving-wheel by', turned, by any well-known means. The band passes over pulleys c c in a wall of the inclosurc and around a pulley e. on the fan. A vigorousrotation of the fan causes a vigorous uplow of heated air through the wire bottoms ofY thev traysand passing through the interstices between the pieces of fruit rapidly carries off its moisture. When the fruit is sufficiently dried, the trays from the rests, held by the lower carrying-sections I, are taken out and the section removed. The cord r is then pulled oftthe pin w and t-he next ring below passed detachable sections removed. The first or upper section to which the cords r are secured remains permanently within the casing.

To attach either section to the one above it, the block g, to which the cross-ties h are permanently secured, (the right-hand block, as shown in Fig. 7,) is passed through the opening x and beyond the guide-post B, with the ties h pointingtoward saidopening. The companion block is then put to place against the edge of the post facing said opening,with the llink n passed over the pin p of the section next above it. The block g, having the ties h attached, is then tilted or inclined at its upper end away from the post, (the lower end remaining in contact with the post,) which raises the freeends of the ties sufficiently to allow them to pass over the studs or pins t'. Upon the block being now brought to a vertical position against the post the openingsl of the ties readily pass over said respective pins. At the same time the block is thus brought to a vertical position the upperend of the link secured to its upper end passes upon the pin p in theblock next above. Thus thesections are joined to. each other upon the post. To remove a section from thepost, the block, with the ties attached, is tipped 'at its upper end away from the post sufficiently. to lift the ties off the pins t'. This also frees the link secured to this block from theY pin p of the section above it, which allows the block, with its attached ties h 7L, to beremoved from the post.A lts companion block being released from the ties may also be taken, away from the post.

-In` case there is no furnace beneath the device and the latter is heated by means of steam-pipes, as shown in Fig. 5, the post may extend down through the floor and thesections may be put onto the posts below the iioor and be raised through the latter in the manner already described, the rests for the trays being attached to the sectionsabove the floor.

Vhat I claimas my inventiony isl. A device for drying fruit, consistingof a rectangular casing and a central longitudinal guide-post rigid within. the casing, in combination with a series of detachable sections for carrying the fruit, held to4 slide along said post, and rests for fruit-trays detachably connected with said, sections, and a lifting-cord attached to the upper section and leading out of the inclosure, substantially as` shown and described.

2. A device for drying fruit, consisting of a casing, a central longitudinal post rigid withi-n the casing, a series of detachable sections for carrying the fruit, held to slide upon said post, and rests for fruit-trays detachably connected with said sections, in combination with a lifting-cord attached tothe upper section and provided with rings or openings and a pin projecting from the casing to engage said openings, substantially as .and for thepurpose set forth.

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3. A fruit-drying apparatus consisting of a casing, verticallymoving carrying sections for fruit-trays Within `the casing, a central rigid guide-post Within the casing surrounding said sections, and a lifting-cord to raise the sections, in combination With a revolving f an over the sections, the casing being formed with an opening over the fan, and a heating device at the oor of the casing, substantially as shown and described.

4. A fruit-drying apparatus consisting of casing and a central longitudinal post within the casing, in combination with a series of detachable movable sections for carrying the fruit and a cord for elevating said sections, the latter being each composed of two similar blocks placed upon two of the opposite sides of the post and provided with rigid links at their upper ends and laterally-projecting pins at their lower ends t0 receive the links of the next adjacent section, one of said blocks being further provided with parallel hooked cross-ties h and the other block being provided with studs to receive said hooked ties, substantially as described and shown.

5. A fruit-drying apparatus consisting of a casing Witha central longitudinal post within it, a series of detachable movable sections for carrying the fruit, and a cord for lifting said sections, in combination With rests for the fruit-trays, each consisting of parallel arms detachably connected With said sections, and

cross-bars d d', with braces for the arms, said main cross-bar d bearing against the contiguous section, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 2d day of March, 1891, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES W. SOVERHILL.

Vitnesses:

Enos B. WHITMORE, M. L. McDERMoTT. 

